Rachael will be working with the de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra (Hertfordshire) on March 14th. She is taking their rehearsals for an upcoming concert with their resident conductor Robin Browning and will be working on Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, Stravinsky’s Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments as well as Prokofiev’s Symphony No.6 with the de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra.
More information… read more »

Even today it is rare to see the conductor’s baton in a female hand, a great pity if this performance was anything to go by. Young’s movements were fluid and almost balletic and she lead with confidence and panache.
[...] (The Tchaikovsky)...was also ... (performed)... from the heart, and ended in a veritable storm of applause.

The closing pages, as the speeds got faster were anything but a mad scramble. Young was firmly in control and unflappable, bringing the work to a disciplined, brilliant finish.
[…] In the first movement there was a lovely rich depth to the textures, superb unanimity from the players but without being straitjacketed. […] Young encouraged the players in delivering a rather massive and dark interpretation of the movement. Then suddenly it… read more »

Rachael Young on how conductors, regardless of gender, have the capacity to embody both female and male aspects of the self.
My path to conducting had rather curious beginnings that are perhaps not so obvious. My grandmother’s love of dance meant both my sister and I began learning ballet at the age of five. She had won prizes for her dancing and was very keen for us to carry on her legacy. It was no hardship for me as I loved every minute.… read more »

Who or what inspired you to take up conducting, and make it your career?
As a cellist I was playing in orchestras right from the start and immediately loved the colours and drama of the orchestra. Then as I progressed and began to play more demanding works I fell completely in love with the orchestral repertoire.

Dancing to Tchaikovsky as a child led to a conducting career in the Russian school - Rachael Young, 8th November 2012
Conductor Rachael Young will lead The Russian Virtuosi of Europe in a performance at London's Cadogan Hall on November 23, 2012. Here she explains how early ballet inspirations led to a lifelong fascination with Russian composers and the Russian school of performing.
Each of us who love music has their own story of how this… read more »

With a passion for Russian music-making Rachael Young has had a childhood dream to become a leader of an orchestra—not just play in one. Read on to find out more about Rachael's path to center stage.
Can you tell us a little about your background - where does your story begin?
I began my conducting career in 2007, having been a professional cellist in, first, my native New Zealand, and then, in the UK.
For the last three years I have… read more »